


Predator & Prey

by HushKitten



Category: Avian - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, OC, OC/OC - Freeform, Original Characters - Freeform, Original Female Character - Freeform, Original Fiction, Original Male Character - Freeform, Romance, original - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-14 19:41:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14143158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HushKitten/pseuds/HushKitten
Summary: Eve Evergreen has always been an adventurous girl. She loves breaking the rules, and wandering into the woods near her house to look for new, exciting things.This time however, she doesn’t find something, she finds someone.Accaq may seem like a nice guy at first, but as Eve gets to know him more, she realizes that this odd character may be more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.





	1. Adventure in the Woods

Eve

I should have known better than to count on a canary. They're such skittish little things. Always thinking they're hot stuff, just because they've got some flashy feathers. But deep down inside, they're really just cowards.

Thori is no exception. The boy may be one of my best friends, but he is unreliable at the best of times. After spending the entire week nagging me to let him come along on one of my little adventures through the woods, he is ready to flake out the moment we cross the border into uncharted territory. 

"This really isn't a good idea, Eve. We could get in trouble. Maybe we should just turn back." He says, looking to me with that ruffled blonde hair and those pleading blue eyes. His yellow wings flutter, and he wrings his hands together anxiously. He at least made an attempt at today's adventure. He is wearing practical blue jeans and a gray t-shirt with the school insignia on it, rather than his usual fancy and impractical class uniform.

"Seriously, dude? After all that nagging and preparation, you want to turn around?" I scoff, spreading my own wings in irritation as I spun to look at him. "This is why I never let you come along! You whine the entire time and you want to quit as soon as we've begun!"

"I'm just being cautious!" Thori chirped back, his eyes flicking from side to side as if he's worried someone will overhear our conversation. "You know as well as I do that we're not allowed to leave town unsupervised until we're 18! The woods are just too dangerous. Didn't you hear? Someone disappeared in this area just last week!"

I sigh and turn around, abandoning the conversation entirely. God, I hate it when he's right. The woods really is a dangerous place for creatures like us. 

You had to worry about the Nagas, who have always been unpredictable people at the best of times, as well as people like us. It's still hard to believe that we are most likely to be attacked by members of our own species. And I don't even mean our seafaring cousins, the Sirens. I mean Avians, just like me!

I have always heard stories about people being attacked and carried off by a variation of our own species, referred to only as The Birds of Prey. They're supposed to be just like us, but with larger wings and a hunger for blood. They live in scattered, primitive flocks across the land, and have been known to carry off members of pretty much every species. 

Everyone hates them. 

Everyone fears them. 

"I'm sure we'll be fine." I try to reassure Thori, but even I don't think I sound convincing. "The trees are really thick in this part of the woods. We should be safe from airborne attacks. Plus, you know that I'm friends with the prince of the local Naga pit! They aren't going to bother us."

Thori rolled his eyes. "So we're planning on entrusting our lives to some trees and the Nagas. Wow, I feel truly safe." I stifle a laugh and he fluffs out his bright yellow wings in irritation. If anything, he's going to be the reason we get spotted. You can see those ridiculous wings of his from a mile away.

If I was by myself, I would probably be a lot better off. Being a Fox Sparrow, and a female one at that, gives me a distinct advantage in the camouflage department. The russet and beige tones in my wings help me to blend in with the tree trunks and forest floor, while Thori's dandelion wings stand out like a target amongst the foliage. 

"If you'd prefer, we could fly instead of walking." 

He quickly shakes his head in response to my suggestion. "No way! If we flew, we'd be even more likely to get caught!" He then shoots me a glare. "You just want to show off your wingspan again." 

"You got me." I laugh, spreading my wings and bumping him with one teasingly. Thori has always been a little irked by the fact that, despite being a female, my wingspan is far more impressive than his. As a matter of fact, I am proud to say that I have the largest wingspan of anyone in my class at school. 

My wings are the reason that I'm the best at sports. And the reason that I'm so unpopular with the guys. Guys are intimidated by the fact that I can outfly them, and go out of their way to avoid me. That's fine by me, as I don't have the time to cater to their fragile egos. 

Thori and I drop the conversation at that, choosing to instead move in a comfortable silence. After a bit of walking, we finally reach the clearing that houses my first marker. 

Each time I go into the forest, I have to make markers to show where I've been so that I don't get lost trying to find my way back. They're quite simple, fragile little things. Just some sticks that I shove into the mud so that they stand straight up. Thori has told me many times that I really shouldn't rely on a bunch of sticks in the dirt, but they haven't failed me yet. 

We follow my trail of markers until we reach another small clearing, this one surrounded by wild mulberry trees. I had decided to stop here last time, and ended up eating the mulberries for so long that the sun began to set and I had to go home. Even I'm not foolish enough to stay out in the woods at night. 

"Alright, after this point we're going to be entering new territory, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled." I instruct Thori as I grab a handful of the berries from a nearby plant and pop a few into my mouth. Even this early in the summer they're sweet, and I can feel some of my energy returning. 

Thori nods and does the same, his face lighting up as he samples some of the fruit. I shove the rest of my handful into my mouth and grab another from the trees, motioning for my companion to follow me as I turn and resume walking. 

My reckless pulling of the berries has stained my hands red, and their juices have made my teeth the same purplish-crimson color, but I don't really mind. 

We walk for even longer, only stopping on occasion for me to place another marker in the ground. As we move, I notice that the trees are starting to thin out, and the terrain has started to steadily grow more rocky. I know that Thori has caught on to this as well, as I see him glancing up at the sky every so often and fluttering his wings anxiously. Even farther ahead the trees disappear entirely, giving way to a rocky cliffside that looks out over even more forrest below. 

"I've never been here before." I exclaim, twirling around and taking in the sight of the huge, jutting rocks in front of me. "This place is incredible!" 

Thori isn't near as enthusiastic about our discovery. "We really should get back under the trees. We're sitting ducks in the open like this." He looks up to the sky, concern evident in his face. 

"Oh, come on! Lighten up for once." I grin. "I'll race you to the top of the cliff!"

"Eve, no! I am not going up there!" He snaps at me, and I'm surprised by the anger in his tone. 

"It's a stupid, dangerous idea! It's bad enough being out in the open like this, but flying would be even worse! I'm going back under the trees where it's safe. If you want to come with, please, feel free." He turns away from me with a huff and stamps angrily towards the woods, leaving me shellshocked. 

"Fine! Go and hide then, you wuss!" I yell back at him, gritting my teeth as I flap my wings and take off. He really is just so paranoid. What could possibly happen? The Birds of Prey don't hunt us often, and when they do, they only hunt at night! Theoretically, we're completely safe in the daylight. 

My anger slowly starts to fade, however, as my wings lift me off of the ground and into the air. Flying really is the best feeling in the world. You feel weightless. Free. Like you could go anywhere in the world, and nothing could ever stop you. My brunette hair whips around through the air, some of it flying into my face. I brush it out of the way irritably, cursing myself for not having the foresight to braid it back before I left today. 

When I finally land on the small, elevated plateau that marks the top of the cliffside, the first thing I do is comb my fingers through my hair. It always becomes a tangled mess when I fly without tying it back. I'm so preoccupied with the task, that I almost don't notice the person that is sharing the platform with me. When I do eventually spot him, he scares me out of my feathers. Tall, muscular, long dark hair, practically the exact opposite of Thori. 

In other words, intimidating. He is staring at me with an odd expression on his face, and for a moment I stare right back. 

I knew he must be Avian like me, as I could see bits of his dark gray and navy wings that stuck out from behind his back, despite being folded tightly in. "Umm... hi." I eventually break the awkward silence, flashing him a nervous smile. "I'm, uhh, Eve. And you are?" 

"Accaq." He replies, his voice lighter than I expected it to be. Accaq? What the hell kind of name is that?

"Well, it's uh, nice to meet you." I reply, holding out my hand in an attempt to be polite. He eyes the red stain on my fingers and raises an eyebrow, and I laugh a little out of embarrassment. "Sorry. I just ate." I murmur, wiping my hands on my jeans in a futile attempt to remove the stain from my fingers.

"It's quite alright. I understand." Accaq replies, offering me a small, close lipped smile. I smile back, and shuffle my feet awkwardly.

"So, what brings you here this late in the day?" I ask, desperately trying to salvage this poor excuse for a conversation. 

"I just came here to watch the sunset." He replied softly, turning his head to look out at the horizon to our left. "Why are you here?" He questions me in return. 

"I was just exploring a bit." I reply simply, eyeing the boy up and down. He doesn't seem to be dangerous. He isn't armed with any visible weapons, and with that outfit he is wearing, it's likely that he wouldn't be able to hide anything even if he wanted to. 

 

His black shirt that is skintight, almost as if he has outgrown it but never gotten rid of it. His dark pants leave a bit more to the imagination fortunately, hugging his legs comfortably, but not in a way that would be showing off too much. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to be wearing any shoes whatsoever. The clothing he does have honestly looks homemade to me. There are a few places where the stitching is a bit crooked, and both the shirt and pants have obviously been patched a few times. 

When my gaze finally makes its way back up to his face I realize that he is still staring at me, and I blush awkwardly. "Do you... mind if I join you? To watch the sunset, I mean." 

He seems taken off guard by my request. "No, not at all.” He motions to the ground next to him, and I obediently move to sit down on the edge of the cliff.

Even with the shear drop below me, I am not afraid of falling. Avians like myself aren't afraid of heights, because if we fall we can just catch ourselves with our wings. 

He turns and sits beside me, moving with an eerie silence as he slowly lowers himself onto the overhang. "It's a beautiful evening." He murmurs, glancing at me and smiling. I nod in return, pleased with the small talk. It makes the whole ordeal seem a little less uncomfortable. 

“It is. Though it's been a little drier than I like lately. I think the plants around here could use a good thunderstorm." I reply, and he nods a bit, his smile widening. 

"So, Eve." 

"Yes?" I reply, cautious of his curious tone. 

"Who are you? I mean, I already know your name, but tell me a bit about yourself. I've never seen you around before."

I cough a bit, startled by his bold inquiry. "Well, um, my full name is Eve Evergreen, I am 17 years old, and uhh.... my favorite color is orange." Accaq nods a bit, that smile of his still plastered to his face. 

"Why orange?" 

"What?"

"You said your favorite color is orange. Why?"

I have to consider that for a moment. "Because it makes me think about warm things. Like a small fire in a fireplace during the winter. Or the leaves on the oak trees during the fall. Or a pleasant sunset during the summer." I laugh a bit. "Red is too intense, and yellow isn't intense enough. I think orange is just the perfect middle ground. The perfect color." 

I look back at him, and he's staring at me again. Those light blue eyes of his are cold, and I suppress the urge to shiver under his icy gaze. "So, what about you?" 

"What about me?" Accaq replies softly, not seeming entirely focused on my question. 

“Tell me about yourself. It doesn't seem fair that I should be the only one that opens up here." 

He laughs a bit, light and pleasant. "Alright, let's see.... My full name is Accaq, I am 17 as well, and my favorite color is brown." 

I tilt my head a bit, startled. "Brown is you favorite color? Why?" When I think of brown, I think of mud, which isn't really the most attractive thing in my opinion. 

"Because it's the color of your eyes." 

Woah. My heart stops at his reply, and I cough awkwardly. That was a bit... forward. I turn away, trying to hide the blush that laced my cheeks. "Um, thank you." I manage to murmur, looking back over to him. He smiles at me, acting as if what he said was the most normal statement in the world. Suddenly, I feel the urge to escape the conversation. "I, um, should really get going. It's getting late." His eyes widen a bit in understanding and he nods sincerely, standing and holding out a hand to me. I take it, and he helps me to my feet. 

"Well, goodbye I guess." I turn to take off, but he grabs my arm to stop me. 

"Wait!" His expression is a bit desperate when I turn back to look at him. "Can I see you again sometime?" He blurts out the words and shocks me once more. Man, this guy is just full of surprises. 

"Alright, I suppose. How about I meet you here at sunset tomorrow?" Accaq's entire face lights up and he nods, releasing my arm and waving to me. 

“I'll see you then." He says, a massive grin still plastered to his face. 

"See you then." I reply taking a running start and jumping off of the side of the cliff, leaving him still waving behind me

 

Accaq

I watch as Eve flies off, her elegant, russet wings spreading behind her. She looks so graceful that I can't bear to tear my eyes away until she has plummeted right out of my limited line of sight. I turn towards the sunset and sit back down with a sigh, burying my face in my hands and grinning. I have only just met her, but I want to know everything about her. What her favorite food is, what she does in her spare time, what her family is like. I sit there for the next hour, watching as the sun sank below the horizon and thinking only of the beautiful creature I met earlier. I barely knew her.

And yet I had to have her.

 

 

Eve

I land on the ground beside the cliff with a soft thud, startling Thori where he stood near the trees. As I turn to look back at the cliffs where I had been moments before, he runs up to me with a frantic expression. 

"What were you doing up there?" He gasps, gripping my arm to get my attention. As I turn to look at him, he seemed to relax a little. "You've been up on the cliff for nearly 20 minutes! I was about to go up there and get you! What on earth where you doing?!"

"I was talking." I reply casually, beginning to walk towards the woods as I did so. 

"Talking? To who?" Now he just sounded confused.

"When I flew up to the top of the cliff, there was someone else there. Watching the sunset."

"Who?" Thori asked once more, tilting his head. "Was it someone we know from school?"

"No. I'd never seen him before in my life. He seemed nice enough though." I say shrugging, and Thori looks like he's ready to burst with frustration.

"You were up there talking to some guy that you've never met before? Didn't your parents ever teach you about stranger danger?"

I roll my eyes and continue to walk, pulling him along. "Come on Buttercup, it's not that big of a deal." 

"Don't you 'Buttercup' me missy!" He huffs. "You're too reckless! What if he had been dangerous? These kinds of situations can't be taken lightly, alright?" 

"Just lay off me, will you?" I snap. "It's not a big deal. You're not my parent, so stop trying to control me! I do what I want." 

Thori crosses his arms and looks at me angrily, increasing his pace to walk beside me. "I'm just worried about you, dumbass! I care too much about you to watch run headfirst into risky situations without thinking! I don't want you to get hurt, alright?" 

As he says this, my anger slowly starts to subside. I stop walking for a moment and turn to him, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I'm sorry for making you worry, alright? I'll try to be more careful in the future." 

"You promise?" He asks, looking up at me with those wide blue eyes of his. I laugh a bit.

"I promise." I respond, pulling him into a small hug, which he returns. We're both careful to avoid each other's wings. Touching someone's wings whilst hugging is a very intimate gesture, and Thori and I certainly aren’t close enough to be doing anything along those lines.

"Now come on." I say after finally breaking off our hug. "Let's get home before it gets too dark."

It is quite late by the time we reach the settlement. Thori and I walk together until we reach our street. With one final hug goodbye, we go our separate ways. Me, into my house where we stopped, and him a little further up the block to his own home. As I approach the door I see that the lights in the house are still off. With a sigh I pull out my keys and make quick work of the locks on the door. 

My parents must be working late. 

Again.

I lock the door behind me as I move into my home, silently heading for the pantry. I grab myself an apple and a small bowl of dried crickets. Thori says I'm weird, but I personally like crickets. They can be a tasty snack, and have the perfect ammount of crunch.

I eat my poor excuse for a dinner in silence and stumble into my room, flicking on the light of my lamp on my bedside table and changing into pajamas for bed. I flop onto the mattress, careful to keep my wings turned to one side as to avoid crushing them or knocking my lamp over. I reach out and turn off my light, sinking into the mattress with a sigh. 

Even though I am exhausted, sleep does not come easily. I'm kept awake by thoughts of that strange boy on the cliff. The one who seemed genuinely interested in my likes and dislikes. The one who complimented me so easily.

The one who wanted to see me again.


	2. Family Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accaq flies home to his nest and greets his family, the infamous Birds of Prey that Thori and Eve so fear.
> 
> Eve considers going to meet Accaq again, and Thori advises her against it.

Accaq

By the time I fly back to my flock's nest, night has already fallen. I look out across the familiar, sharp peaks of rock that protect the cave where we live. It was a challenge to navigate the flight pattern between the jutting rocks when I was younger, but after years of practice I can replicate the path with ease. 

I watch as the guard at the mouth of the cave stands at attention as I go to land. I look up at him as my feet hit the ground, and smile at the familiar face.

"Quill." I say in greeting, dipping my head at him. His white hair practically glows in the moonlight, and the gleam on his eyes makes them look almost as pale as his hair. 

He smiles back at me, spreading his massive wings out in greeting. "Accaq. What have you been up to today?" 

I stretch my own wings, grinning. "Just flying about, as I usually do." 

"Aren't you supposed to be practicing your dives? Father will be very cross with you if you don't have good enough form by your next lesson." I roll my eyes at his response, tucking my wings back in and nudging his shoulder playfully with my own as I pass him by. 

"I've had those forms down for a week now. I'll be fine." He laughs and turns to watch me as I walk inside. "If you say so, brother." 

I walk down the dimly lit path that leads to the main cavern of our nest. The cave is somewhat lit by torches that we have placed along the walls, so it's not hard for me to find my way. 

The main cave is full of life as always. I take in the sight of our flock's dining table, which is almost as long as the room and is actually a bunch of normal tables pushed together. It's surrounded by a plethora of chairs, most of which are occupied by more of my siblings. 

The large bonfire that lights the room is not far off from the table, so those who sit close to it have to be careful not to singe their wings as they sit. 

When I enter the room my siblings look up and smile at me. "Accaq!" My older sister, Naqua, calls out and flies over to me, her pale gray wings nearly knocking over the chairs near her as she takes off. My two more of my older brothers, Quana and Iqui, follower her and land on either side of her. 

"How you doin lil' bro?" Naqua asks, pulling me into a headlock and ruffling my hair playfully. I laugh and shove her away, trying to smooth out my hair as she backs off. 

"I'm good. Better than good. Great, actually." I reply, walking by her and fluttering my wings a bit in embarrassment as I realized what I said. Perhaps that was a bit too much information....

I know the minute I turn around and see the expression on Naqua's face that I've said too much. 

"Oh? And what made today so extra special?" She asks, leaning towards me. My brothers copy her actions, raising their eyebrows at me teasingly. 

"N-Nothing!" I manage to stutter out, feeling my cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I've always been a terrible liar. 

"Bullshit. Come on now, tell us what happened!" Naqua prompts. Iqui laughs and takes a step toward me, leaning his elbow on my shoulder. "Did you snag yourself a particularly tasty meal or something?" 

I sigh and push his elbow away irritably. All of my siblings do stuff like that to me. I'm the shortest and one of the youngest, so I'm an easy target. 

"No. Nothing happened. Completely normal day." I retort, trying to sound convincing.

"I think maybe our little lovebird found himself a girl." Quana drawls, stepping closer to me. I feel my face flush and I take a step back, attempting to hide behind my wings and pretend this conversation wasn't happening, but they are having none of it.

"That's what it is! You're crushing on a girl!" Iqui calls out a little too loud, and some of my other siblings turn their heads towards us. 

"Shh!" I hiss at her, my feathers fluffing out in panic. "Do you want the whole flock to hear you?!" 

"Why the secrecy?" Naqua asks, grinning. 

"Because nothing has even happened yet! Just because I'm interested in her doesn't mean she isn't interested me!" I drop my wings in defeat. "She didn't seem to be overly impressed with me."

"Well, have you done anything to impress her?" Quana asks, and I tilt my head at him. "What do you mean?" 

My question causes Iqui to roll his eyes. "If you want a girl to like you, you have to do something to impress her, dumbass!" He acts like this is the most obvious thing he's ever said.

"Like what?" He rolls his eyes once more. 

"Bring her pretty things, fly in a complicated pattern, hunt for her, there's all sorts of stuff you can do!" 

I tilt my head. "I'm not very good at any of that stuff.”

"I'll help you!" Naqua yelps excitedly, doing a little hop. 

I smile at her gratefully. "Thank you." 

"We'll start first thing in the morning!" She grins at me, and I give her a confused look.

"Why not tonight?"

"Because we're not wasting the entire evening on your affairs!" She huffed, crossing her arms. "I want to eat and go for a flight with Iqui and Quana. If you're really dedicated to impressing this girl, then you'd better get used to everyone else's nocturnal life." 

She bumps me with her wing playfully as she and my brothers pass, heading for the table once more. 

I follow them and sit in my assigned seat, leaning on the table and pouting. It would be a while before father and my eldest siblings returned with food, but pretty much everyone had already gathered around the table. 

Everyone except for mother, who likely would be the last one to join us. She likes to sleep in, which none of us blame her for. I usually stay up late to say hello to her, before I head to bed. 

I'm the only one in our family who isn't nocturnal. My eyesight is bad, so flying at night puts me at a higher risk than the others. I can see in the dark like everyone else, but everything is still blurry, so my parents decided I'd better stick to the day to help with impaired visibility. 

The room falls quiet as my father suddenly enters, my four eldest siblings in tow. Father is a very intimidating person, even to other predators. None of us would dare go against him. 

He is tall and well built, with dark hair that is clipped short. He has a long scar down the side of his face, which he received in a fight to protect our nest. 

I can barely recall the night when we were attacked by another flock, as I was quite young, but my older siblings have told me the story a few times. 

The siblings who went hunting with Father walk into the room behind him, each of them carrying their own catch, as well as a few creatures that must have been Father's kills. 

They make a pile on the ground across from the table and start to remove their boots. 

Generally when we walk around the nest we go without shoes. When we go flying we wear leather boots that Mother made, and when we hunt we wear special boots that Father made, which have built in iron talons that you can control with a simple mechanism inside the boot. They're uncomfortable, but functional. 

All of the hunters remove their boots and walk off down some of the tunnels leading out of the main cave, likely heading to their private caverns to put the boots away with the rest of their belongings. 

Everyone else gets to work with skinning and gutting the animals that the hunters brought back. Putting together dinner is always a massive family effort. 

Quill has been relieved from guard duty for the time being, and is helping me skin a deer that was brought back. 

Father is standing not far off, watching us all work with an approving expression. Mother appears from one of the tunnels in the cave and smiles, crossing the room to stand beside him. 

Once all the animals have been cleaned we start cooking, spearing chunks of meat on skewers to season and roast, and taking certain internal organs and meats to make a stew. 

Mother watches over us and instructs us on what seasonings to add to the food, while Father instructs some of my other siblings to take the bits we aren't going to use to the woods to feed to the wolves and coyotes.

We always give the extra bits to the scavengers of the forest so that nothing from the creatures we hunt goes to waste. We keep the bones for making tools, and the hides for making blankets, clothes, and leather. Everything has a purpose. 

Once the food has finished cooking, some of us are able to sit at the table and wait for our meal, while those on serving duty hand out skewers of meat and wooden bowls filled with stew. Fortunately I'm not on serving duty, so I get to eat right away. 

There is a bit of chatter at the table, but everyone falls silent as Mother and Father sit down in their spots. 

"Some of you need to help salt and dry the leftover meat from dinner. Who would like that assignment?" Father's voice rings out in the cavern, and a few of my siblings raise their hands. He nods and gives those who volunteered a small, approving smile. 

Once they put their hands down, Mother speaks up. Her voice is light and beautiful, severely contrasting Father's dark and strict tone. "We need more herbs to be gathered for seasoning and healing. Accaq, I assume you will taking care of that for us again?" 

I sit up a little straighter in my chair as I am called on, and nod in acknowledgement, giver her a small smile. I always get put in charge of looking for herbs, as it's much easier to find the correct plants in the daytime. 

"Good. I'll give you a list of what we need after dinner." I nod once more and turn back to my food, lifting my bowl of stew to my lips and drinking in a huge mouthful. 

It's as good as always, and after a moment I have completely emptied my dish. I wait politely as my parents assign different jobs to my siblings, and once the meeting is done and normal chatter resumes, I get up to serve myself a second helping of the stew. 

A few of my siblings stop my on my way to the pot and request that I fill their bowls as well, and I do so begrudgingly. 

Once dinner is over everyone gets to work with their nightly jobs, while I walk over to where Mother and Father stand, supervising everything. 

As I approach them Mother smiles, walking up to me and cupping my face in her hands. I lean into her touch, comforted by the gentle contact.

"And how are you doing this evening, my little parakeet?" She coos, and I feel my face flush at the embarrassing nickname.

"I'm well." I respond softly, giving her a warm smile. 

She lowers her hands from my face as Father speaks up. "Have you been practicing for your lesson with me next week?" 

I nod, smiling at him as well. 

Father gives all of us flight and hunting lessons, but there are so many of us that we have to take turns. I only get to have them once every two weeks. 

"Are you off to bed then?" Mother asks, her smile a bit sad. She hates that I have a different schedule than everyone else. I barely see her.

"Yes. I'm sorry that I couldn't be around more." I murmur, dipping my head and looking at the floor. 

"It's alright." She replies, pulling me into a tight hug, which I eagerly return. 

"I love you." She murmurs, pressing a kiss to my cheek. 

"I love you too." I reply, releasing her from the hug and offering one last smile before I head to the one of the tunnels that branch off from the main cave. 

I follow it for a while before I am greeted by the familiar sight of my own cavern. I duck into the small opening and head to my bed, which isn't much more than a couple animal hides, hay, and some feathers. 

I check to make sure no one is walking by my cavern before I strip out of my day clothes and pile them outside of my cave. Whoever is on laundry duty tonight will take them and wash them for me to wear tomorrow. 

I quickly pull on a pair of sleeping shorts and collapse into the bed, letting out a sigh and tucking my wings in close to keep them from hitting the ceiling. 

I quickly fall asleep, dreaming of the girl with brown eyes and beige wings.

"Up and at em' sleepyhead! I'm not staying up all day for you!" 

I'm jolted away by Naqua's voice, and she gives me a light kick. I sit up and sigh, rubbing my eyes a bit to wake myself up. 

"I'll be waiting outside of the nest. Meet me in five minutes or I'm going to bed." Naqua commands, leaving me to get ready. 

I pick up my clean, albeit slightly damp, clothes from outside of my cavern and get dressed, before jogging down the tunnel and heading for the main cave. There I grab a couple pieces of the dried jerky we store for breakfast and run for the mouth of the cave. 

Naqua is waiting as promised, and she gives me a small smile as I stop beside her.

"Alright. So take me to that little cliff where you're meeting her." She demands, nodding at the guard on duty before spreading her wings and taking off. 

I do the same, taking the lead and flying her to the cliff where I had met Eve. I unconsciously smile as I land, unable to keep my thoughts away from the girl as I stand where she stood only a day before. 

Naqua looks around, spreading her wings and getting a feel for the way the air moved on the plateau.

"Not a bad place..." she murmurs, before turning to me.

"Alright, listen up. I'm going to be drilling you and flight patterns and maneuvers, because let's be honest, your hunting is hopeless." 

Well, that much is true. With my nearsightedness, it's practically impossible for me to pick out targets on the ground.

I nod a bit and watch as she takes off, hovering in front of the cliff for a moment before she folds her wings and goes into a dive, dropping until she could almost touch the tops of the trees before she abruptly extended her wings once more and soared upwards, executing a delicate curve before she turned to me. 

"Alright, we'll start with that move. I hope you got a good night's sleep, because we're going to practicing until your wings fall off."

I sigh and look up at her, extending my wings and taking off to join her in the sky.

Eve

When I awake the next morning, sunlight is already streaming through the small, dusty window in my room. I sit up and sniff at the air, catching a whiff of something cooking in the kitchen. 

I stand and stumble to my partly open bedroom door, unsurprised by the familiar sight of my mother in front of the stove, cooking breakfast. 

My father is sitting at the kitchen table, his large wings folded in a bit awkwardly as he avoided bumping any of the items on the counter. 

His round glasses sit crookedly on his nose, and his silver hair appears thoroughly ruffled from sleep. He smiles at me tiredly as I move to sit across from him, offering him a friendly smile.

"Good morning darling." He murmurs, smiling back at me. My mother turns and serves us each a latke, and presses a quick kiss to my forehead.

"How did you sleep?" She asks, moving to sit beside my father and brushing a strand of her wild brunette hair out of her eyes. 

"Fine." I reply, more focused on eating my breakfast than making conversation.

"Do you have anything important going on at school today?" My father asks, poking gingerly at his food. My mother gives him a pointed look, and he takes a small bite. 

"Not really. Just normal stuff. Thori and I might go somewhere after school though." I finish off my meal and smile at them from across the table. 

They both smile back, and mom nods a bit. "Alright. Just be sure to drop by the house and let us know if you plan on visiting your friends by the river. We have a day off today, so we'll be here." She replies, and I nod in acknowledgment. 

After breakfast, I shower and get dressed in my school uniform, braiding my damp hair back and tying it off with a small yellow bow. 

I don't generally pull my hair back unless I'm flying, but with my hair being wet it’s easier to manage while tied back. I grab my bag and bid my parents farewell, pushing out the door and into the street. 

As expected, Thori is waiting for me on the sidewalk.

"About time you showed up." He huffed, smiling at me as we began our walk to school. "What's your plan for today? Got anymore forest adventures planned for after school?"

"I don't know." I reply honestly, smiling a bit as I look at the canopy of leaves above us. 

Only a few rays of sunlight make it through the thick cover of leaves that conceal our settlement, so it's generally pretty dark. Only houses on the outskirts of the settlement, like mine, get any real sunlight. 

The covering of leaves may make the settlement feel dull, but it was one of our few lines of defense against airborne predators.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Thori asks, derailing my train of thought. 

"I mean I don't know. That boy I told you about, he asked to see me again today."

"You aren't seriously thinking of going back there, are you?" Thori asks, his yellow feathers puffing out in alarm. 

"I don't know yet. I'm kind of curious about him. I've never seen him around before." I reply, perhaps a bit dreamily. 

"That just seems like even more of a reason to stay away, if you ask me." Thori huffs. "You know nothing about him. I would just forget about that guy if I were you." 

Thori's advice fell on deaf ears, however, as I was already too caught up in my own thoughts to truly hear him.

School couldn't end soon enough. The entire day I was restless, thinking about that boy from the cliff. I couldn't even properly enjoy PE, even though it was my favorite subject.

When the chime rang out to signal the end of the school day I made a beeline for the door, not even waiting for Thori to join me. 

I ran for half a block before he caught up with me, looking disheveled and out of breath. "What the hell are you doing?" He pants, leaning against a fence post as I stop to let him rest. 

"I'm going to go meet him." I blurt out, not really thinking before I spoke. His eyes widen, and I realize it may have been a mistake to tell him. 

"You're crazy! You can't!" He gasps, pushing off of the fence post and standing up straight. "It's too dangerous!"

"I don't care. I have to know more about him. How often do you find mysterious strangers in the woods?" I don't even wait for his reply, and instead resume walking back towards my house. 

The entire way home he tries to persuade me to stay within the settlement, but my mind is made up. 

I head home and change clothes, abandoning my awful school uniform for a pair of baggy blue jeans and a school t-shirt with lettering that is almost entirely worn away.

I leave my hair in the braid and consider removing the bow, bit quickly decide that it's more effort than it's worth. 

After preparing myself I head out, bidding a quick goodbye to my parents before walking out the door and taking off for the woods. 

Thori told me to wait for him so he could tag along, but there was no way I was going to let that dull dud ruin my second meeting with, what was his name? Accaq?

I try not to dwell on my lack of knowledge about him and run through the woods, heading eagerly towards the cliff where I had met the boy the day before. 

By the time I get there, the sun is just barely starting to slip below the trees. I should have plenty of time to talk to him before the setting sun sends me running back home. 

I fly up to the plateau from the previous day and look around eagerly. At first, I don't see him. 

Leaning back against a large rock, with the sun setting behind him, he is very well concealed within the shadows. He spots me and steps forward, a smile lighting up his face as he approaches. 

I can tell he's nervous, despite his friendly expression. His wings are tucked tightly against his back, and he seems to move stiffly as he walks closer.

"Hi." He murmurs, his voice betraying his nerves even further. 

"Hey." I respond, my wings twitching a bit. 

Wow, this is incredibly awkward. 

For a moment neither of us knows what to say, but he eventually coughs and decides to speak up. 

"So, um, I've been, uh, practicing my flight patterns today." He murmurs shakily, turning his head to stare at the ground.

I notice, with a bit of amusement, that someone has tied his relatively long hair into a braid along the side of his head.

"Do you, uh, want to see?"

I blink at the odd question, a bit confused but still very intrigued. "Sure. Let's see what you can do." I reply, crossing my arms and trying to be aloof. 

Accaq releases a deep breath when I say this, and he takes a few rigid steps back. "Alright then." He murmurs, more to himself that to me. 

After a momentary hesitation, he spreads his wings and takes off. 

My first thought: Holy shit, those are huge. 

I have never seen such an impressive wingspan in my entire life. I’m considered to have a relatively decent set of wings, but his easily surpassed mine by more than a few feet.

My second thought, however, is about the way he flies. Despite having such massive, bulky wings, he manages to move with a sort of elegant grace. 

Most males I’ve met seem to just throw their weight around whilst flying, but Accaq is totally different. 

He dips and soars and turnswith perfect precision, making the rather difficult flight maneuvers he displays seem like child's play. 

By the time he lands back in front of me, I’m speechless. 

He’s panting a bit, and a light sheen of sweat covered his forehead, but he’s grinning eagerly and looking to see my reaction.

"That was..." I hesitate, and for a moment his expression falters. 

"Amazing!" I finally manage to gasp out. "Where did you learn to fly like that?! I've never seen someone with such clean dives! How often do you practice?" 

Accaq's whole face seems to light up, and his chest puffs out a bit with my words of praise.

"I practice every day." He replies, grinning ear to ear. 

"Do you think you could teach me how to fly like that?" I ask him eagerly, my expression pleading as I step towards him. 

His already flushed cheeks turn an even brighter shade of pink, and he nods quickly. "O-Of course! We could meet here everyday, and I could teach you more about flying." 

I jump up and down in excitement, repeatedly shouting thank you's and pulling the boy into a quick hug. 

He stiffens for a moment and I hesitate, realizing that it probably wasn't the best idea to hug an almost complete stranger, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Rather than pushing me away his arms pull me closer for a moment, before he quickly lets go and coughs awkwardly. 

"We should, um, start right away." He says, avoiding eye contact with me. "I have to be home before the sun sets."

"Same here." I laugh, watching as he smiles in return and following as he flaps his massive wings and takes off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Please, feel free to leave behind a comment or offer constructive criticism! I am a new author, and am always looking to improve!


	3. A Turn of Events

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accaq runs in to some unexpected trouble on his way home from flying lessons.
> 
> Eve has a get together with her friends, and realizes something about her relationship with Accaq.

Accaq

I'm bombarded by Naqua the moment I arrive back at the nest, my sister having woken up early to hear my report.

"Well? What did she think?" Naqua prompts, flanked by Iqui and Quana, who both appear to still be half asleep.

"She loved it!" I beam, and Naqua claps her hands excitedly.

"She was so impressed that she asked if we could meet again!" I sigh, heading for the table in the main cave and flopping into a chair. My siblings follow eagerly.

"And then she hugged me! She actually hugged me!"

"Did she touch your wings?" Iqui gasps, his eyes widening.

"Of course not! I've only met her twice! She's not that kind of girl." I retort, trying to keep my disappointment from showing in my voice.

Touching someones wings while embracing is a very intimate gesture, and is considered to be one of the highest forms of affection.

"By the way, what exactly does the love of your life look like?" Quana prompts, leaning an elbow on the table as he sits down beside me. 

"Well, she's kind of tall." I begin. "She has these big brown eyes, and long brown hair." I let out a little sigh, smiling at just the thought of her. "Today she had it braided and tied with a little yellow bow. It was absolutely adorable." 

"What are her wings like?" Naqua asks, tilting her head curiously. 

"A bit small." I admit reluctantly. "But they're absolutely stunning. They're brown and beige and russet all at the same time."

"She sounds lovely." A new voice chimes in, causing me to yelp and jump to my feet.

On the other side of the table stands Mother, smiling at me as she listens to our conversation from a distance. 

"M-Mother." I choke out dumbly, my face going bright red as I realize she has overheard everything.

"I'm glad to hear you've found someone you get along with." She laughs, amused by my embarrassment.

"I won't bug you about it too much." She says with a wink, holding out a small, crumpled piece of parchment. "I was just stopping by to give you the list of herbs we need."

I accept the parchment from Mother, nodding solemnly as she explains my task. I offer her a small smile as she finishes. 

"I'll get it done tomorrow." I promise, glancing at my siblings as they quickly retreat from the conversation, distracted by something happening elsewhere.

Mother nods and turns away, heading for her seat at the dinner table. 

There will be no family meal tonight. Everyone will be required to either hunt for their own food or eat leftovers from the family meal earlier this week.

I grab a few pieces of jerky and sit in my assigned seat, gnawing on it thoughtfully as I consider where I should go to gather the supplies on the list Mother gave me. 

I don't speak to any more of my siblings as I head for my cave, speaking only to Mother and Father before I retire to my bed.

I go through my nightly routine and flop down heavily onto the bed in my cave, sending a few of the stray feathers laying around fluttering into the air.

As I lay there, staring at the dim torchlight leaking in from outside of my cave, I desperately hope that my Mother didn't mention Eve to my father.

I'd had enough embarrassment for one week.

 

Eve

I sit on the edge of the plateau, waiting patiently for Accaq to show up.

We've been meeting for flying lessons every day for nearly three weeks now, and even in that short amount of time, my flying has improved drastically. 

I can perform difficult turns and maneuvers, and have gotten a lot better at dives.

My diving is still messy compared to Accaq's, however. He dives so effortlessly, and can even pick stuff up off of the cliffside. 

He does occasionally miss the objects he tries to pick up, but for the most part he does pretty well.

It will take a lot of practice for me to become that good.

I frown as I glance at the setting sun, tapping my foot impatiently. He has been showing up later and later every day, and I'm concerned that if it continues my lessons will be effected.

I consider confronting him on the matter, but brush the thought away quickly. If I make him mad, he may not teach me at all.

"Hello, Eve."

Accaq's voice comes from behind me, scaring me out of my feathers. I whip around to look at him in shock, and he laughs a bit.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" I gasp, placing a hand over my chest to feel my heartbeat. "How do you fly so quiet?!"

He shrugs, looking down at the ground. "I'm not sure. It's in my genes, I guess. Anyway." He claps his hands together, smiling at me. "Let's not waste any more time."

Finishing with that, he takes to the sky, and I flap my wings to join him. 

 

Accaq

By the time my flight lesson with Eve has ended, the sun is already dipping behind the tree line. 

Though the lesson was brief, it was the most fun that I'd had all day. She is easy to talk to and laugh with, and I feel as though I could've spent hours flying with her without tiring. 

All good things must come to an end, however. 

When she notices how low the sun is getting she lands and calls up to me, telling me that it is time she left. Disappointed, I follow her back down to the plateau and land beside her, forcing a smile. 

"This was fun." She says, her eyes still alight with amusement and a massive grin plastered to her face. "I hate to cut the lesson short, but I've really gotta get heading home. I'll see you here again tomorrow, alright?"

I nod, my smile slowly growing more genuine as she speaks about meeting again tomorrow. 

"Maybe we could meet even earlier than usual. I have nothing going on tomorrow." She suggests, and I nod quickly.

"How about we meet at midday instead?" I say, and she thinks for a moment. 

"Sounds good to me!" She says finally, and I have to keep myself from jumping up and down in excitement.

Then with a small wave of farewell she takes off once more, this time landing at the bottom of the cliffs and proceeding to walk into the woods.

I watch her as best as I can until she disappeared into the trees, and out of my poor line of sight. 

With a sigh, I turn and walked in the opposite direction. I needed to be going home too. I've already stayed out too late, and I notice that the sun is dipping more rapidly. 

Dusk is falling. 

I take off and make a beeline for my nest, praying that I get there before the sun disappears entirely.

I have no such luck. The sun has fallen well beneath the horizon by the time I reach my nest, and I am forced to land outside of the jagged cliffs and stones that protected our cave. 

I'm stuck with a harsh dilemma.  

Should I stay here and wait for one of my siblings to emerge and guide me inside, or should I just risk flying in there myself? 

I know that if my siblings have to retrieve me, I'll never hear the end of it. 

Besides, no one will be coming out before breakfast, and since there was a large catch yesterday the hunters hadn't gone out, so there would be no one incoming to guide me either. 

Gritting my teeth, I decide just to risk it and push myself off of the cliff. 

It's certainly a risky move. As I fly, the tips of my wings often brush the sides of the rocky outcroppings, and occasionally I cut it a bit too close and hit my wing on of the side of a pillar. 

As I fly in deeper, however, I notice a more prominent issue. Whoever is on guard duty tonight is evidently running late, as they have not yet lit the torch that sits outside of our cave. 

Without the light to help me pinpoint the entrance, I'm hopelessly lost amongst the rocks. As one of my wings brushes a pillar I stop and grab on to it, folding my wings inward and looking around in the dark, desperately trying to locate the entrance to my home. 

I can see in the dark up close, at least well enough to find footholds and ledges to grasp on the rocky pillar, but my vision slowly fades into black and blurriness as I try to look anywhere farther than a couple feet away. 

For the millionth time in my life, I curse my poor eyesight. 

As I wait on the pillar, at a loss for what to do, a beacon of hope lights up the night. 

The torch! It's far away, but definitely there, giving off a warm yellow glow. 

Almost sobbing in relief, I launch off of the pillar and fly towards the source of light. I bump and bruise my wings on ledges and pillars as I fly full speed towards the light, but I manage to escape any severe injuries. 

That is, until I go to land. 

As I dip my legs downward to catch the rocky outcropping outside of the cave I underestimate the height and drop too early, catching the side of the cliff with my feet and sending myself barreling headfirst onto the unforgiving rocky floor. 

The sibling of mine on duty, Iqui, looks torn between amusement and concern as I stand and brush the dust off of my clothes, my head bruised and throbbing in pain. 

"You alright?" He asks, his mirth betrayed in his voice.

"I think so." I sigh in response, gingerly folding in my bruised wings. 

"We were wondering what happened to you. You know you're not supposed to be out after dark." Iqui scolds me lightly. "Mother and Father were worried sick about you."

"I'll go apologize and let them know I'm alright." I murmur in response, walking unsteadily towards the mouth of the cave and trying to ignore the pain in my head.

When I enter, everyone has already taken their seats at the tables, leaving only mine and Iqui's spots vacant. As I enter Mother stands, looking relieved, and hurries over to me. 

"Where have you been?" She asks me, her tone heavy with concern.

"I was out practicing my flying and lost track of time." I mutter, unable to meet her gaze. It isn't technically a lie, but it isn't the whole truth either.

She cuffs me on the cheek and I flinch, pressing my hand to my forehead as it throbs.

"You know better than to stay out after dark!" She hisses, her worry giving way to anger.

"I know." I look at the floor, not bothering to argue with her. 

"You could've been seriously hurt! Just look at the shape you're in!" Mother grabs hold of one of my wings and tugs it, unfolding it a bit. 

I hiss at the pain from my bruises and quickly jerk my wing out of her grasp, tucking them both in tighter to my body. 

Mother's gaze softens ever so slightly, but she still sighs at me and shakes her head. "I'll deal with you later. Go sit down." She orders me as she walks back to her chair. 

I swiftly obey, nearly falling out of my chair in my haste. As I sit there watching everyone eat, I stare down at my own plate of food and realize I'm not hungry. 

As a matter of fact, the sight of the food makes me feel downright... ill. 

With a sudden realization I shoot away from the table and head for the entrance to the cave, cupping by hands over my mouth. 

As soon as I am out of the cave I double over and retch, emptying my stomach of what little food I'd had earlier in the day. 

I faintly hear Iqui asking me if I'm alright as I gag once more, and I don't respond to his panicked tone. 

Clutching my arms over my stomach miserably, I ignore my brother and walk back into the cave without a word. 

As I enter the main cavern I pick up my pace, feeling the gazes of my siblings burning into my back as they watch me head for my tunnel. 

I hear a faint rustling behind me, and realize that Mother has followed me towards my cave. As I flop down miserably outside of my little crevasse, Mother kneels beside me with a concerned expression. 

She reaches out and presses the back of her hand to my forehead, while I just close my eyes and concentrate on not vomiting again. 

She sighs quietly and runs her fingers through my hair, and I wince as her hand brushes across the spot where I hit my head.

"Accaq, did you hurt your head?" She murmurs, concern evident in her tone. 

I nod, opening my eyes ever so slightly to look at her. 

She shakes her head a bit and drops her hand. "You should have told me. Head injuries are serious, Parakeet."

I manage to cringe at the nickname and I hear Mother laugh slightly. "You need rest. Go lay in your cave for a bit, and I'll come back and check on you in a little while." She instructs, standing and looking down at me. 

I nod once more and slowly get to my feet. 

"And no going out tomorrow. You're confined to the cave until I'm convinced that you're alright." My eyes go wide at her words and I shake my head so quickly that I nearly fall over. 

"Mother, I have to go out tomorrow!" I whimper and place my palms to my face as my pain shoots through my skull. 

"Oh? What's so important about tomorrow?" She turns to look at me and I blush. "I-I just have to..." 

"You just have to what, Accaq?" 

I turn away. 

"Nothing." I crawl into my cave and flop down ungracefully in my bed, sighing loudly.

I hear Mother's footsteps as she retreats from my cave and I sit up ever so slightly in my bed.

My head is spinning, and it takes nearly all of my concentration to focus on not throwing up for a second time. 

Any thoughts I had about sneaking out are gone and I lay down once more, cradling my face in my hands.

I have no choice but to stay here and heal for a while, and I'm scared that in the time it will take me to heal...

Eve will forget about me.

 

Eve

Saturday is by far my favorite day of the week.

I get to sleep in in the morning, have a leisurely breakfast, and I have the whole day to walk through the woods.

The weather today is perfect, doing even more to lift my spirits as I walk out of the house. 

I've tied my hair back into a braid in preparation for flying, though I won't be having my lesson with Accaq until much later.

First, it's time to go and meet my friends in the woods. 

I walk to Thori's house and knock on the door, waiting patiently for him to answer.

When he opens the door, I see that he has dressed himself in practical clothing. Tennis shoes, neat blue jeans, and a t-shirt with my Airball team logo on it, which he usually only wears for games. 

"I'm glad to see that you've realized nice clothes and the forest don't go together." I comment, offering a smile.

He smiles back at me and shrugs, closing the door as he steps out to meet me. "That, and I have no one to impress and therefore no need to dress up." 

"That's true." I laugh, bumping his shoulder affectionately with my wing as we begin walking. 

We head into the woods, our conversation fading into a comfortable silence as we head for the river that flows not far from our settlement. 

As we exit the trees, I see that we are the last ones to arrive.

Ander is sitting on the river bank, his green scaled tail coiled neatly under his torso. His arms are crossed over his bare chest, and his forked tongue is just barely poking out from between his lips, as it often does when he is thinking. His brown hair is ruffled, as if he had just woken up and had yet to comb it out.

I've known the naga boy for nearly three years now, but the fact that he still goes around wearing no clothing disturbs me. I know he doesn't really need a shirt, but I'd personally prefer it if he wore one. 

Beside him sits Daisy and Sam, who are pressed as close together as possible, per the norm. The centaurs have been dating for some time now, and are practically inseparable despite appearing to be polar opposites.

Daisy is a sweet little blonde, with the lower half of an Appaloosa. Her fur is light gray, and speckled with white spots that form delicate pattern across her flanks and rear. 

Sam is a tall, dark haired Clydesdale. His bottom half is entirely black apart from the long white fur that covers his hooves.

Besides each other they are as different as day and night, but they get along famously. 

Sam is, thankfully, wearing a shirt. He and Daisy have synced up their outfits today, as she is wearing a pink shirt that says "his" and he is wearing a blue one that says "hers". 

In the river, between the two centaurs and the naga, sits Brizo.

The mermaid's dark brown hair is braided into an intricate pattern today, and she has small sea shells clipped on to hold the style in place. 

She is wearing her usual getup, a simple blue bikini that contrasts beautifully with her dark skin. Once again, the display of skin makes me feel uncomfortable, but it is too difficult for her to swim in anything else. 

"Hey guys!" I call out in greeting, jogging ahead to join the group. Thori follows me, smiling and nodding to everyone.

"Hi you two!" Daisy says with a smile, and the rest of the group greets us in a similar manner. 

"Eve, I must say, you're looking particularly lovely today." Ander purrs, leaning closer to me. 

I cringe and shove him away, laughing a bit. "Ew Ander, come on. I just got here." I say, rolling my eyes.

He sighs and pouts at me, but says nothing else. 

"So what's new with all of you?" I start, taking a seat on the ground across from Brizo. Thori sits down beside me, and our conversation gradually picks up.

Our little group has been meeting like this every Saturday for two years. 

Due to the fact that we are all technically different species, it's rare for us to meet and have a chance to talk or hang out.

So, we all decided to make an effort to meet up and keep each other updated on what is going on in our lives.

We talk for some time, each of us taking a moment to share something with the group. 

Daisy and Sam tell a story about one of their herd members, who had been chased by a wolf pack after they wandered too deep into the forest. 

Ander tells us about the trials he had to undergo recently. As the prince of the naga pit in this area, he often has to go through tests to prove that he is a worthy leader, and has been successful thus far. 

As he told his tale he constantly glanced at me, and did his best to emphasize how well he had done in completing his tasks.

I just roll my eyes at him, interested in his story but not particularly fond of his obvious flirting. 

After Ander finishes his long winded tale, Brizo turns to look at me.

"Well, Eve, what have you got to share?" She asks, leaning on the bank of the river.

"Oh, nothing really. Life is the same as ever." I respond, offering her a smile. 

Thori snorts and rolls his eyes. "Yeah right, you big liar."

I glare at him. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing has changed? How about the fact that you sneak out of the settlement every day to meet up with a complete stranger for flying lessons?" Thori says pointedly, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"Zip it." I mutter, staring at the ground while Daisy claps her hands excitedly. 

"Ooh, Eve! Do tell us about this mysterious stranger!" She giggles, while she and Brizo exchange a knowing look.

I sigh heavily and shoot Thori another glare. They're all just going to nag me until I spill, so I may as well just get this over with.

"Well," I begin, placing my hands in my lap. "His name is Accaq. I met him about a month ago while I was scouting out the woods near the settlement."

"Him? He's a guy?" Ander hisses sharply, appearing less than thrilled. 

"Yeah, him." I reply defensively, crossing my arms. 

"Well, tell us about him!" Brizo says excitedly.

I think for a moment. "He's really tall and he has long, dark gray hair. I think it turns a little lighter at the tips, but it's hard to tell because he always has it braided or tied back. He's pretty well built, and he has these really vivid blue eyes."

"Wow, that's a lot of information." Brizo laughs, and I blush.

"What about his wings? You mentioned that he was giving you flying lessons, so he must be Avian." Sam comments, putting his arm comfortably around Daisy's shoulders.

"Yeah, he is." I reply. "His wings are massive. Like, he's got a foot on me easily." Thori's eyes widen at this, but he doesn't comment.

"They're mostly dark gray on the back, kind of like his hair, but on the inside they're lighter with black accents." I finish, and hesitate when I see the odd look the entire group gives me. 

"His feathers are... gray?" Brizo asks, her expression unreadable.

"Yeah, why?" I respond, confused.

"Aren't male Avians supposed to be... I don't know, colorful?" I shoot her a glare. 

"For your information, flashy feathers aren't everything. I'd much rather date a guy for his personality rather than his colors." I retort, scowling.

Brizo puts her hands up in surrender and laughs. "Ok, ok, calm down. I didn't mean to piss you off." 

I offer her an apologetic smile and force myself to relax. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so heated."

"If you ask me," Ander cuts in, his tongue flicking out for a moment as he pauses. "This guy sounds an awful lot like a bird of prey."

I shudder and shake my head at him dismissively. "No way. He can not possibly be a bird of prey. He's too sweet."

I pause for a moment, realizing how the words must have sounded, and flush when Daisy and Brizo grin at me.

"Sounds like someone has a crush~!" Brizo sings, and I sputter while trying to think of a response.

"I do not-" I start, but Daisy cuts me off. 

"You do too! You sound just like me after I fell for Sam!" She giggles and Sam smiles down at her fondly.

I open my mouth to respond then pause for a moment. 

I do like being around him, and the time we spend together usually is the highlight of my day. Could I seriously be crushing on this guy?

"Oh. My. God." I say as it suddenly dawns on me. "You're right! How the hell did I not notice before?!"

"You're thick in the head." Brizo responds dismissively, and I throw a stick at her. 

"So, what does this mean? What do I do?" I ask, looking to the others for help. 

"Well first you need to decide whether or not he's interested in you. For all we know, this could be one sided." Thori says thoughtfully, and Daisy nods.

"I agree. Tell me, has he done anything to try and impress you?" She asks curiously, and I think for a moment.

"Well, after we first met he was the one who suggested meeting again." I say, a smile forming on my face at the memory. "And when we met the second time he showed me some of his flying techniques."

"Is he any good?" Sam asks, and I nod quickly.

"He's scarily good." I admit. "He pulls off even the most difficult maneuvers with ease."

Ander frowns at my words, and I try to ignore his hurt expression. 

"Does he seem to enjoy himself when you guys hang out?" Sam questions, looking thoughtful. 

"Yeah, we always have a great time." I smile and let out a sigh. "The flying lessons are usually the best part of my day." 

"Well I think it's settled then. He is definitely crushing on you." Sam finishes, giving me a satisfied nod and crossing his arms over his chest. 

"What does that mean then? What should I do?" I say, looking around the group for advice.

For a moment everyone is silent. 

"I think you should wait for a bit longer and see what happens." Thori says finally. "It will give you a chance to get to know each other better before anything happens. Besides, if he really does have a crush on you he'll probably want to make the first move."

I nod. That makes sense. 

"Alright, no more relationship drama." I say firmly, placing my hands back into my lap. "Let's talk about something else, before I die of embarrassment."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> This is my first time posting a story online, so please feel free to give me tips or constructive criticism!


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